In NSW, a restricted dog is one of the following:
- American pitbull terrier or a pitbull terrier
- Japanese tosa
- dogo Argentino (Argentinean fighting dog)
- fila Brasiliero (Brazilian fighting dog)
- any other dog of a breed, kind or description that cannot be imported into Australia under the Customs Act 1901 (Cth), such as Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario
- any dog declared by an authorised officer of a council to be a restricted dog under division 6 of the Companion Animals Act 1998.
It is an offence under the Companion Animals Act 1998 to sell, advertise for sale, give away, or transfer ownership of a proposed or declared restricted dog.
You must register and pay the relevant annual permit fee through your local council if you own a dog that is a restricted breed.
Lodge an objection about your dog being declared a restricted breed
If your local council declares your dog to be a restricted breed, it will issue a notice of intention. You have 28 days from the date your local council issues the notice to lodge an objection.
Within this time, you may get a certificate confirming that your dog is not a restricted breed or cross-breed of a restricted breed from an approved breed assessor. If you do not do so, your dog will be declared a restricted dog.
If your dog is assessed as a cross-breed of a restricted breed, you may get a certificate from an approved temperament assessor stating that your dog does not pose a threat to the public. If you do not get a certificate or your dog fails the temperament assessment, your dog will be declared a restricted dog.
Please contact the Office of Local Government for a list of approved breed and temperament assessors – local councils cannot supply this information.
Reporting attacks or injuries
If you own a restricted dog and it attacks or injures a person or an animal (other than vermin) without being provoked, you must report it to your local council within 24 hours.